Jefferson County: New regulations for rezoning applicants to show proof of an adequate water supply

The county is considering altering the timing by which rezoning applicants must show proof of an adequate water supply for a development, giving developers of smaller projects more time to prove adequate supplies exist.

Basically, under the new requirements, a development requiring more than 0.67 acre-feet of water per year would have to show an adequate water supply early in the rezoning process. Developments requiring less would get more time.

Currently, all developments must estimate the required water needs and prove there is an adequate supply at the start of a rezoning application.

“If the water requirements exceed that value, the applicant would have to show proof of water,” said Pat O’Connell, planning and zoning geologist for Jeffco. “If it’s less, then they wouldn’t have to show it until later in that development.”

Along with revising the trigger amount, the county would also compile a water table for developers to use. Instead of drilling test wells and conducting their own analyses, developers could use the county’s water table to show proof of an adequate supply.